tagged w/ Kitten Rescue
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Advocating for Stray and Feral Cats – A Quick Guide
You don’t have to do Trap-Neuter-Return in order to help cats. You can make a difference in cats’ lives by working for change at the local level. Help build the movement to expand humane care for cats and end the killing by raising awareness and educating others about feral cats and about what’s going on in our nation’s animal shelters.
Five Ways to Advocate for Cats in your Community
1.
Learn about issues facing cats.
Every day, Alley Cat Allies is on the front lines, mobilizing individuals and communities to support cats and press for changes that will end the killing and improve the lives of cats. Stay up to date on urgent legislative issues facing cats as well as upcoming events by joining our FeralPower! e-action alert list.
Want to get started now? Visit our online Action Center. With just a few clicks of the mouse, you can protect and improve the lives of cats by signing petitions and sending letters directly to your elected officials and decision makers.
2.
Write an editorial for your local paper.
Each time an article appears in the paper about feral cats, or cats in general, it’s an opportunity to write a letter to the editor. Use your letter to educate the public—on the basic facts about stray and feral cats, Trap-Neuter-Return, the truth about shelter kill rates, and local programs and groups. Your letter will show others that there is a public movement on behalf of cats. Ready to send one today? Use Alley Cat Allies’ letter to the editor templates.
3.
Distribute literature in your community.
Help educate your community by placing literature in locations that animal lovers frequent. Displaying brochures at your local pet store or veterinary office can help educate people with pets. For a display stand and pack of brochures, visit our Marketplace.
4.
Educate your elected officials.
Don’t wait until feral cats are an agenda item. Teach your local elected officials about feral cats and Trap-Neuter-Return and encourage them to enact policies that protect and improve cats’ lives. Use our tips for organizing for strategic change.
5.
Promote feline-friendly practices at your local shelter.
Encourage animal pounds and shelters in your community to adopt socially-responsible approaches that serve both the animals and the public. These include improving community education programs, refusing to accept feral cats into shelters, and providing free or low-cost neuter services for the public. Read our full list of humane practices that shelters can use to protect cats’ lives.Advocating for Stray and Feral Cats – A Quick Guide
You don’t have to... more
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Mila the Miracle Kitty – One Year Later!
Posted in Veganism/Animal Issues with tags bobby rock, veganism, animal rescue, mila the miracle kitty, animal rights on August 1, 2010 by Bobby Rock
Friends, it’s been almost one year since I did those posts on Mila, the barely-alive kitty who my friends and I rescued from a local shelter. The Militant (great friend and rescue partner on this excursion) received a fantastic update today from Mila’s guardians, so I just wanted to relay the great news.
For those of you who missed the posts last year, here’s the quick overview:
I was at a local LA shelter with my friends the Militant and Parker, rescuing a bunch of “death row” dogs who were due to be put down any day. (See link to their story at the bottom.) The shelter was just about to close, when two women and a young girl came walking in with a shoebox that had what appeared to be a dead kitten.
Mila, as we first saw her, barely alive…
They said this kitty had pulled herself out from underneath their house where she had been trapped for at least three days, with no momma or siblings anywhere to be found. So these good folks washed the blood off of her (from all of the flea bites!) and – not knowing that they would basically be handing her over to her execution – brought her to the shelter. (Shelters are just not equipped to deal with this level of medical trauma, so they will usually euthanize animals in this condition.)
We intercepted, and then quickly set up shop over at the Militant’s house. The next 24 hours were touch-and-go. We had to bathe her, give her flea meds, massage her to keep the blood flowing, and keep her between a heating pad and blanket, since she was so cold. And since she was so malnourished and dehydrated, we had to syringe feed her and give her subcutaneous fluids… even though she hated every minute of it. She had such a will to live, though, that within 24 hours, we knew she was gonna make it.
This short video details everything. Scope it real quick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZJnUkiSr8E&feature=player_embedded
Mila’s New Life
As a result of the Militant’s tireless efforts in finding Mila a perfect forever home – which included live adoptions, postings at petfinder.com and her very own YouTube video – potential adopters went nuts for this little kitty. (So ironic, given her initial condition.) The Militant eventually placed Mila with what has turned out to be the perfect family.
Mila today – wow! Can you believe this is the same kitty we first saw in that shoebox?
These days, we understand from her papa guardian that Mila is quite the princess in her new home, with somewhat of an independence streak in her by day. (No surprise there.) By night, though, she becomes an affectionate “cuddle monster.” She adores – and is adored by – her big brother and sister cats, and she could not have found cooler human guardians to have invited her into their family. Basically, all is perfect!
To anyone who deals with animal advocacy, animal rights, animal rescue… you know how often you can potentially feel anger, depression, extreme frustration, and hopelessness. And then there’s the dark side of it all! Seriously, it’s rough, and we seldom are privy to the full, quantifiable results of our efforts. So when a story like this comes along, I think we all have to take it in, to savor it, to fully assimilate it… and remember the powerful karmic ripples that are set in motion with every act of compassion and sacrifice that you offer… even if those ripples remain unknown to you.
Until the next one,
BRMila the Miracle Kitty – One Year Later!
Posted in Veganism/Animal Issues... more
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